stilted ‘minas house’ by studio MK27 rests amid rainforest garden in brazil

the volume, holding two concrete slabs and three boxed volumes, is lifted 10 meters above ground, framing sweeping views of the minas gerais mountainscape.

lea zeitoun July 29, 2022 4 min

‘minas house’ by studio mk27: a multifaceted design

Hovering above the Minas Gerais mountains in Brazil, ‘Minas House’ by Studio MK27 is a multileveled dwelling set on an especially steep, dramatic site. The volume combines two concrete slabs, lifted 10 meters above ground with a sequence of stilts disguised amidst the tree trunks of a garden recalling a rainforest. ‘Suspending the house on stilts allows for rainwater to drain and for the house to breathe,‘ writes the studio.

From the street, the house seems to be no more than a simple wooden box — but glimpsed from the other side of the valley, its volumetric complexity, composed of three boxes and two platforms, emerges at full force. To access ‘Minas House,’ one must cross a bridge, a connecting structure that punctuates the gap between public and private spaces without using any obstructive elements.

As one enters through the wooden facade, a squared glass frames the mountain view and creates an expectation of what’s to come. A staircase, meanwhile, prompts a descent to the platform below, leading to a portico beyond which nestles a generous open living space. There, light pours generously from the glazed and completely retractable facade capturing sweeping vistas. Facing the open facade is an expansive shelf design where the owner’s memories can unfold like a story.

stilted 'minas house' by studio MK27 rests amid rainforest garden in brazil - 1

all images © Joana França

a striking composition of platforms and boxed volumes

At the edge of the living room, pivoting wooden panels open towards the west terrace, with a platform serving as an observation deck and a sun-lit pool with two tanning beds. ‘In this residential space, all functions are covered to make day-to-day living possible, but contemplation and pondering over the passage of time are at the very center of its essence,’ continues Studio MK27 (see more here).

This platform also houses an opaque wooden box that envelopes the kitchen, powder room and master bedroom in its corner. Two sides of the bedroom are covered in slatted wood panels that can fold and slide, revealing a new perspective of the east-facing horizon. Descending one more level, one reaches a third wooden box, suspended and cantilevered from the platform. Immersed within tree canopies, this is the most intimate area accommodating more bedrooms, a TV room, and a winery.

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top view showing the rainforest garden

The balanced proportions of ‘Minas House’ are uplifted by its sobering palette of materials. For one, the bare texture of the concrete slabs covers the ceilings, while basalt stones make up the floor surfaces. In turn, the three wooden programmatic boxes exude warmth and a rich tactile quality.

‘To its fullest extent, it is a very calm house: its presence on the street, its fluctuation over the slope, the succinct composition of materials, the different relationships with the view, and even its decoration. Some exquisite mid-century Brazilian pieces are used very sparsely, with presence and voids between each piece, letting each designer’s trace be fully felt and appreciated. It is a house to be flavored with full attention,’ concludes Studio MK27.

stilted 'minas house' by studio MK27 rests amid rainforest garden in brazil - 3 sweeping vista of the brazilian mountains